“Shit,” Gage whispered. “Any other information you think we could use?”
“Um, he probably doesn’t have a criminal record. At least, not for physical violence, anyway,” Fiona said, blowing a few random strands of coppery hair out of her face.
“How do you figure that?” Gage asked.
“He wants our attention. Really bad,” Fiona said. “Otherwise, he wouldn’t go to all the trouble of mailing the hearts to the families. He feels like he hasn’t been recognized, like he hasn’t gotten his fair share. If he’d been convicted for hurting someone before now, he’d feel differently, maybe even a little scared to be caught again. But he’s never been caught.”
“Fuck, you’re smart,” Gage murmured, the words leaving his mouth without his permission. He saw Fiona blush a little, her pale cheeks going a deep pink as her eyes dropped to the floor bashfully.
“Thank you,” she muttered in response.
Gage could tell that Fiona’s skin was crawling. She was always uncomfortable when people looked at her for too long, even Gage. He quickly made up an excuse to leave her alone. “I’m gonna go get the mail. Be right back,” he said, walking past her to leave his apartment and go out to his mailbox.
When he reentered his apartment a minute later, he realized that Fiona still had his phone. He needed to e-mail Jack back to thank him for the favor, but Fiona was nowhere in sight. “Fiona?” he called out, scanning the living room and kitchen for any sign of her. But she wasn’t there.
A small little flash of fear went up Gage’s spine. Calm down, crazy, he said to himself silently. Nobody kidnapped Fiona. She’s fine. We’re fine. Everything’s fine.
Even still, he found himself walking into the spare bedroom, anxious to find Fiona and dispel the worry that had suddenly clogged up his throat. “Fiona?” he called out, but he couldn’t see her, even after walking through the bedroom’s doorway.
But then a second later, he heard something, a sweet, high noise, like the chirping of birds. Gage turned to find the source of the noise, cracking open the door of the bathroom to reveal Fiona in the shower, singing something above the noise of the water hitting her naked body.
Gage could see her silhouette even through the fogged-up glass door. Her long legs, her slim waist, her pert breasts—all of her gorgeous, beautiful, miraculous body was right there, right in front of him. Gage longed to lunge forward and crash through the shower door, press their bodies together and never let go. He wanted to be wet with her. He wanted their bodies to stick together like glue, never coming apart.
Fiona turned to face him, and for one long, glorious moment, Gage thought she was going to open the shower door and reveal herself, fully. But instead, her jaw dropped open and her hand flew up to cover her mouth in shock.
“Gage! What the hell are you doing?!” Fiona shouted, covering her breasts and vulva with her hands.
“I’m…sorry, sorry, I’m sorry,” Gage stuttered out, stumbling backwards until he left the bathroom entirely.
Fuck. What have I done?
Chapter Eight
Fiona stood there under the water, which turned from warm to cool to freezing above her. But she couldn’t move out of the way. She couldn’t budge a single fucking inch. What the hell had just happened?
Fiona shut her eyes and let the chilly water crash over her nude body, causing her to shiver and shake. But it was what she deserved. She had done something very bad.
When Gage first walked in, she heard him, felt his presence as he entered the room. But she didn’t freak out right away. She hadn’t immediately told him to go away. She waited, staring at the wall of the shower in front of her, her breathing going ragged as she waited for Gage to do something.
Bad thoughts had entered her brain. Terrible thoughts. Unforgivable thoughts.
Take off your clothes and join me, Fiona had thought to herself, sticking her chest out and sucking her stomach in to present the best possible view of her body. Join me, join me, join me. I’ve missed you.
Now, freezing under the relentless streams of water, she tried to push back against those thoughts, arguing with them until they shut up. I don’t want him. I don’t miss him. I don’t want to cheat on Carl. I’m a good girlfriend. A good fiancée. I will be a good wife. I don’t want to cheat. I don’t want to do that to him. I’m a good person. Right?
But even as she trembled under the cold water, she knew the answer wasn’t as reassuring as she’d hoped it would be. She was dirty. She was slutty. She wanted to have sex with Gage, right here, right now. Her body still ached for it, like she’d crumble in a million pieces if he didn’t touch her.